What's in the box, 3/18/15 and 3/4/15 editions

I think this post might better be titled, "Where have I been? 3/18/15 edition," but I'll stick to the usual post name.

Here's what was in yesterday's box, the first of the spring share (and the first of the 2015-16 full year share as well). We've now gone through an entire year's share together. I hope you're keeping up with the veggies better than I have been lately.

In this firsts box of the spring: two bags of greens, watermelon radishes, apples, half a pound of coffee beans, a loaf of bread, hakurei turnips, carrots, and potatoes. I'm planning to use some of the coffee beans to try this recipe from the Splendid Table for slow roasting carrots on a bed of coffee beans.

One of the carrots in yesterday's box looked like it was giving a piggyback ride to a smaller carrot.

Awww.....

Two weeks ago, in the last box of the winter share (and last of the 2014-15 full year share), there were purple top turnips, potatoes, carrots, apples, greens, very tiny beets, and two butternut squash (which brought my total up to 13 butternut squash in the pantry).

So, where have I been these past couple of weeks?

Portland, Oregon, where I had a great view from my hotel room...

...including some beautiful sunrises.

I celebrated my birthday while in Portland. Husband sent flowers...

...and friends made sure that I had cake for my birthday.

While in Portland, I had dinner at Natural Selection, an excellent vegetarian restaurant.

We also had dinner at Departure (twice!) and lunch at Veritable Quandry.

Then I flew home through Seattle, with some beautiful views during the short flight to the north.

 

I've also been in Charleston, SC over the past couple of weeks. I ate a shrimp taco and an oyster taco at 167 Raw for lunch. We had dinner at The Ordinary; no photos, but highly recommended if you like seafood. The razor clams with apple and cilantro are nothing short of amazing.

I tried limpets for the first time at the Old School House Pub & Restaurant in Hudson, MA (no plane flight needed).

I've also found myself sitting in a local Starbucks a few times, trying to finish a book chapter with my new favorite drink, the flat white. Here's a photo from February, when the snow piles were above your head when you sat in the chairs by the window.

I'm happy to report that while there earlier this week, there is not much of that snow left in the windows, although a fast moving squall with hail provided evidence that it's not quite spring yet.

It's been a busy couple of weeks. I'm back now. Time to start cooking all of those butternut squash!